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Pilot Attempting Landing Exercises Before Crash-Landing In Arkansas River

Pilot Attempting Landing Exercises Before Crash-Landing In Arkansas River

SUBMITTED PHOTO / Crews work to pull a small single-engine plane from the Arkansas River near Fort Smith Park on Saturday, July 12, 2014. The pilot was not injured.

Pilot Attempting Landing Exercises Before Crash-Landing In Arkansas River

SUBMITTED PHOTO / Crews pull a small single-engine plane from the Arkansas River to shore near the Midland bridge on Saturday, July 12, 2014.

Pilot Attempting Landing Exercises Before Crash-Landing In Arkansas River

SUBMITTED PHOTO / Crews work to pull a small single-engine plane from the Arkansas River near Fort Smith Park on Saturday, July 12, 2014. The pilot was not injured.

Pilot Attempting Landing Exercises Before Crash-Landing In Arkansas River

SUBMITTED PHOTO / Crews work to pull a small single-engine plane from the Arkansas River near the river bridge on Saturday, July 12, 2014. The pilot was not injured.

Times Record Staff

The pilot of a small single-engine plane was attempting to do “touch-and-go” exercises on the Arkansas River Saturday before he crashed his plane into the water, according to a news release from Sgt. Don Cobb of the Fort Smith Police Department.

About 7:18 p.m., the pilot, Tim Hazlewood of Van Buren, was flying above the Arkansas River near Fort Smith Park when it appeared he tried to land the plane in the water.

According to the report, “as best could be determined,” Hazelwood was attempting to do a “touch-and-go” on the river, before the crash-landing.

The Sea Ray aircraft is described as a small, experimental sea plane designed to land on water runways, as well as solid runways, according to the release.

A crucial aspect of a water landing is to have the landing gear, used for regular landings, in the “up position,” the release states. Hazelwood attempted to land his plane on the water with the gear down, and as he touched the water, the gear “caught” and flipped the plane onto its top.

Hazelwood was the only occupant of the plane and was not injured. He exited the plane on his own and got onto the wing of the aircraft before he was pulled from the waters by three local boaters in the area.

The group tied up the plane to their boat with a piece of rope and tried to pull it ashore as authorities arrived at the scene. Additional crews towed the plane to a ramp near Midland where they pulled it to shore.

The Federal Aviation Administration and the U.S. Coast Guard have been notified of the crash, the release states.